Probably a ploy to try to win her back so he could salvage those business deals. Or maybe Theo did love her in his own sick way.
“As you can imagine, it’s not a good idea for Laurel to be meeting anyone right now,” Jericho reminded him. “Including you.”
“I know about the arrest warrant for you and your deputies. I know you have a matter of only a few hours to turn her in or you’ll be taken into custody, too. It’s my guess neither Laurel nor you want that to happen.” Theo didn’t wait for confirmation. “So, meet me at the sheriff’s office in Appaloosa Pass this afternoon. I can talk to Laurel before the deadline for you to turn her over to the Dallas PD.”
Jericho stared at her. That hope was still there in her eyes, but this was hope with a big string attached. He didn’t want her to have to deal with Theo. Hell, he didn’t want her arrested.
“Why should I believe that you’re willing to throw Herschel to the wolves?” Jericho asked.
Another long pause from Theo. “Because I don’t think this is the way to change Laurel’s mind.”
“It’s not. But you’ve gone along with it so far.”
“Let’s just say I’ve had a change of heart. The plan was never for Laurel to be put in danger.”
“Really? Then, what was the plan?”
“I’ll tell Laurel when I see her. And I’m emphasizing that her because if she’s not there, then I won’t be, either. The only way you’re going to get what I have is for us to meet face-to-face.”
“All right,” Laurel said, moving closer to the phone. “I’ll do it. I’ll meet you at the sheriff’s office in a couple of hours, you and I can talk, and then you can give us the evidence.”
Jericho didn’t bother to curse because he’d known this was what she’d do. He didn’t like it, but then there wasn’t much he liked about this, especially since he was still trying to prevent that arrest by completely clearing Laurel’s name.
“Good. I’ll see you both then.” And Theo ended the call before Jericho could say anything else.
“I have to do this,” Laurel immediately argued. “I’ve known all along I’d have to turn myself in before the deadline the Dallas PD gave us. I can’t risk having you arrested, not when we’re so close to you getting custody of Maddox.”
Part of that made some sense, though it was a bitter pill to swallow. He didn’t want to think of Laurel in jail even for a short period of time.
“I don’t want Maddox near Theo,” Jericho insisted.
“Neither do I. Maybe he can stay here with your mother, Levi and one of the deputies.”
Jericho would make sure there was at least one deputy at this safe house, and he would do whatever else it took to protect Maddox.
“When I’m arrested, I’ll need you to bail me out,” she added.
He would, of course, but she’d still have those mental-instability accusations hanging over her head. The mental instability could cancel out the other charges, since a lawyer could argue that if she was indeed crazy, then she wasn’t fit to stand trial for money laundering. Either way, though, Laurel would be locked up somewhere until Jericho could prove she should be set free.
“What does Theo want to talk to you about?” he came out and asked.
She blew out a long breath, pushed her hair from her face. “He probably just wants to try to win me back. He can’t.”
“Obviously. You’re married to me now, so that shoots to hell his notion of winning you back.” He paused. “Doesn’t it?”
That got him a huff and an eye roll. “Now that I know we can keep Maddox from my father, nothing would make me go back to Theo. Nothing.”
There weren’t any doubts in her voice. And that got Jericho thinking about something else she’d let slip the day before.
“You said Theo wasn’t your lover. Explain that.”
“Your memory is a little too good.” She sighed, looked away, dodging his gaze. “Theo knew I didn’t love him, but I agreed to the engagement to get my father off my back. And my mother’s. My father was always pressuring her to pressure me, and I finally just gave in and said yes. I know, that makes me weak.”
He didn’t verbally argue with that, but he made to let her know he didn’t totally agree. “And the part about him not being your lover?”
Laurel shrugged. “I told Theo we’d have to wait until we were married before we had sex.”
“And he agreed to that?”
“I didn’t give him a choice.”
Well, great day. “He didn’t press you to change your mind?”
“He did. I stopped him.” She glanced away again, but when her attention came back to him, there was a little fire in her eyes. “Satisfied?”
Jericho played around with some answers to that and decided there wasn’t a good one. Was he satisfied she hadn’t slept with Theo?
Yeah.
And yeah, that made him somewhat of a jerk.
“Theo might have had the hots for you, but I still believe it’s mostly about business when it comes to you,” Jericho settled for saying. “So yes, I guess I am satisfied that you didn’t end up in bed with a man who wanted to use you.”
No more gaze dodging. She stared at him. “And that’s the only reason you’re satisfied?”
No. Laurel knew that, too, because of those scalding kisses they’d just shared. Kisses he could still feel in every inch of him.
He was betting she could feel them, too, because her breathing became uneven, and her face flushed.
“Don’t answer that,” she insisted. “It’s technically our wedding night, and please don’t say or do anything that would make me want to get in your bed.”
Jericho was about to make a big mistake and point out that’d there be a lot of wanting going on tonight, whether she was in his bed or not. Of course, admitting that want would be the very thing that would make them forget all of the damage they could do by sleeping together again. Thankfully, he was saved from saying something like that because of the knock at the door.
“Jericho,” Levi said, “we have a problem.”
Heck. What now? Jericho hurried to the door and threw it open. Even if his brother hadn’t mentioned something was wrong, he would have been able to tell just by looking at Levi’s face.
“Jax and the other deputies are on their way back out here and will be here any minute. We’ll need to leave as soon as they get here.” There was just as much concern in Levi’s voice as there was in his expression. “Jax believes our location has been compromised.”
CHAPTER TEN
Laurel’s heart went to her knees. No. This couldn’t be happening. Her baby was in danger again.
“Grab your things and Maddox’s diaper bag,” Jericho told her. He didn’t seem nearly as shaky as she was, but Laurel figured he was just as concerned.
“How did this happen?” she asked, hurrying across the hall to her room. Thankfully, the house wasn’t so large that she couldn’t hear Levi’s answer.
“When Jax picked up the justice of the peace, he told him to leave his phone behind, that it could be traced. Well, he left his business one but forgot he had his personal one in his briefcase.”
All right, that wasn’t as bad as the wild ideas running through her head. Ideas of kidnappers and gunmen on the way. Still, Jax was right and most cell phones could be tracked.
“Jax is pretty sure that someone, maybe Herschel, hired people to watch all the justices of the peace in the area. Ministers, too. Jax knows they weren’t followed, but if the spy saw the JP leave with Jax, then they could have tapped into the GPS tracker on his phone.”
So, moving was just a precaution. That didn’t cause Laurel to slow down, though. It was best to get Maddox away from here.
“Jax and the deputies are here,” Iris called out to them.
>
That sent Levi hurrying to the living room. With her own bag and the diaper bag in hand, Laurel was about to head there, too, but Jericho stopped her in the hall. Now she saw more emotion on his face, and she knew he was about to tell her something she didn’t want to hear.
“I need to go to the office and meet with Theo,” Jericho said. “You’re still sure you want to come with me?”
“Of course. Theo won’t give us the recording or anything else if I’m not there.” And Laurel was positive that wasn’t a bluff. If she wasn’t there, they wouldn’t get the proof that could clear her of the false psychiatric reports.
If Theo actually had a recording, that is.
Theo likely had something. Something that he was sure he could use to get her to talk to him. Laurel only hoped it was worth the risk and the emotional toll it would take for her to be away from Maddox. Even though she hoped she wouldn’t have to be away from him for too long.
“How will this work?” she asked Jericho.
He scrubbed his hand over his face. Clearly frustrated. “I’ll have Jax and the deputies take Mom and Maddox to a new location. Another safe house. Levi, you and I can go to the office.”
“Levi could go with them, too,” she suggested.
“No way. I want backup with us when we’re on the road.”
Laurel nodded, finally, and with that green light given, Jericho rushed her back into the living room. Iris already had Maddox bundled in her arms, ready to go. Her son was still half asleep, but he smiled when he looked at her. His smile got even bigger when he looked at Jericho.
“Tar,” Maddox muttered, pointing to Jericho’s badge.
Jericho returned the smile and stepped away to tell the others the plan. Laurel used the time to say goodbye to her son.
“Be a good boy for Mommy.” She pressed some kisses on his cheek. “I’ll see you soon.” Laurel hoped. It was possible that it would be days, since, with the holidays, it might not be easy for Jericho to post bond for her.
“I’ll take good care of him,” Iris assured her.
“Thank you.” And she meant it. It was easy to see that Iris loved Maddox. Jericho, too. That would make it easier for him if things turned from bad to worse and Laurel ended up with a long jail sentence.
“You ready?” Jericho asked her when he’d finished talking to his brothers and the deputies.
Laurel nodded. Kissed Maddox again. Jericho did the same, brushing a kiss on his forehead. That was it, the only goodbye before he got them outside.
Jax had parked an SUV directly in front of the door, and Laurel was relieved when she saw the infant seat. It probably belonged to his own son since this was Jax’s personal vehicle.
Iris got Maddox strapped in, with Dexter getting into the backseat with them. Jax and Mack took the front seat, and Jax didn’t waste any time speeding away.
“Best to get moving,” Levi reminded them, and they hurried to his truck on the side of the house.
It was still bitterly cold, but thankfully there was no ice or snow falling. Not yet. Maybe it wouldn’t start until Maddox and the others had arrived at the new place. She definitely didn’t want her baby on icy roads.
Laurel kept her gaze nailed to Jax’s SUV, watching it while she ran to the truck and got on the seat between Levi and Jericho, with Levi behind the wheel. She could have sworn a hand squeezed around her heart when the SUV was out of sight.
“It’ll be okay,” Jericho said to her.
She hated that the tears came, but this had been an emotional overload of a day, and it wasn’t over yet. “Please tell me the new place will be safe.”
“It will be.” Almost idly, Jericho brushed a kiss on her forehead, much as he’d done to Maddox just minutes earlier.
Levi made a soft grunt. Probably of disapproval, and he took something from his pocket. A plain gold wedding band.
“Jax brought it with him,” Levi said, passing it to Laurel. “He thought it would be a good idea for you to wear it.”
Because her head was in such a muddle, Laurel looked at Jericho for an explanation.
“It might get Theo to back off. From pressuring you about getting back together with him, anyway. It might also help if you have to appear before a judge. It makes the marriage seem, well, real, and not something we slapped together so Herschel can’t get Maddox.”
Of course, the marriage had indeed been slapped together, and while it might not sway a judge, it was a nice finishing touch. Laurel slipped the ring on and then had a horrible thought.
“The ring doesn’t belong to Jax’s late wife, Paige, does it?” Laurel knew Jax and Paige had divorced shortly before she’d been murdered, but the ring would still have sentimental value for Jax and Paige’s son.
Levi shook his head. “It belonged to our grandmother. Jax meant to bring it with him when he drove out with the JP, but he forgot.”
“I can’t wear this. It’s...real. It’s a family heirloom.” She started to take it off, but Jericho stopped her by sliding his hand over hers.
“Keep it on.” He didn’t add more than that. Didn’t move his hand from hers, either.
Laurel hated that something as simple as Jericho’s touch would help her calm down, but it did. However, it didn’t do the same for Levi. Jericho’s brother didn’t say a thing, but she saw a flash of disapproval in his eyes. First the kiss, now this. Levi was probably ready to give her an earful.
But he didn’t.
In fact, he didn’t say anything, and that’s when she noticed he was volleying his attention between the rearview mirror and the road ahead. Jericho was doing the same thing, but he took it one step further.
Jericho drew his gun.
That caused the skin to crawl on the back of her neck.
“What’s wrong?” Laurel tried to turn and look behind them, but she didn’t get the chance. Jericho pushed her down on the seat.
“Maybe nothing.”
However, it didn’t feel like nothing.
“That person in the black SUV behind us could be following us,” Levi supplied. “Let’s find out.”
That was the only warning she got before Levi made a left turn. And she waited. Breath held. Her mind and heart racing.
She wasn’t familiar with this part of the county. It was all rural, just ranch land and woods, and from her position on the seat, Laurel could tell the road was bumpy, coiling its way through the trees that were practically a canopy over them.
“Hell,” Jericho said. And she knew then that whoever had been behind them had made that same turn.
“Can you see how many are in the vehicle?” Levi asked.
Jericho shook his head. “The windows are too dark. Take that next turn. That’ll get us headed toward Miller Road.”
Which would lead them back into town. Eventually. By her estimation, they were at least twenty minutes out. Maybe more, since they were on the back roads.
Laurel forced herself to remember that this could still turn out to be nothing. After all, it could be someone who lived in the area.
Levi took the next turn as Jericho had told him. And the wait began again. Laurel wasn’t sure how time managed to crawl and fly by at the same time, but it felt as if that’s what was happening.
Jericho cursed again and pushed her farther down on the seat. That meant they had their answer.
They were being followed.
And worse.
“Watch out!” Jericho shouted to his brother.
Just as the bullet slammed into the roof of the truck.
* * *
JERICHO DIDN’T HAVE time to curse. Though that’s something he’d be doing plenty of later. For now, he had to do something to make sure all three of them got out of there alive.
“Just focus on the road,” Jericho told his br
other. “I’ll see what I can do about the idiot who just fired that shot.”
A shot that Jericho had barely seen coming. He hadn’t noticed the passenger’s-side window of the SUV was down, but he’d darn sure seen the person’s hand snake out with that blasted gun. A gun he’d quickly used to fire a shot at them before pulling his hand back inside.
Jericho doubted it’d stay that way.
No, this was an attack, and it was clear from the shot that the thugs inside didn’t care if they killed them or not.
Now, the question was—who had ordered the thugs to attack?
Jericho would find out, but first things first. He lowered his own window. Leaned out just enough to take aim. And he sent a shot right into the windshield of the SUV. The bullet slammed into the glass, creating a small circle, but it didn’t go through, which meant their attackers had come prepared. The glass was bulletproof.
Unlike their truck.
And the thug must have known that because the passenger’s hand came out again and he fired another shot.
This one slammed into the side of Jericho’s door but, thankfully, ricocheted off. Of course, a ricocheted bullet could still hit one of them.
“I’m turning,” Levi warned them a split second before he took a left on another farm road. Jericho wasn’t familiar with this particular one, but most of the roads led back toward Appaloosa Pass. He hoped this one did because he didn’t want to have to dodge bullets any longer than necessary.
“Maddox,” Laurel said on a rise of breath. There was plenty of panic in her voice.
Plenty of panic inside Jericho, too. He prayed attackers hadn’t gone after Maddox, as well.
“Call Jax,” Jericho said, and tossed her his phone.
He glanced at her to make sure she stayed down when she did that. She did. And Jericho tried to tamp down his fears for his son while he kept an eye on the shooter behind them.
The guy didn’t reach out again, probably because the road was a series of curves, and it would be nearly impossible to take aim. That was something, at least, but the curves probably wouldn’t go on for long.
“Someone’s shooting at us,” Laurel said the moment Jax answered her call. “Is Maddox all right?”
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